Coupling terminal unit for storage batteries



June 29, 1948. F. JACOBS 2,444,045

COUPLI NG TERMINAL UNIT FOR STORAGE BATTERIES Filed une 5, 194510.nov,..."

III III IN V EN TOR. FRANK JACOBS ATTORNEY Patented June 29, 1948 gasCOUPLING TERMINAL UNIT-FOR STORAGE IBATTERIES c (Granted f under .1 theact :eot March :3, 1883, oas

3- time inventiontdescribedcherein maybe: manui'iiactured anduused'fbyzor fort the Government for g-wernmenta1w purposes; without: thepayment; to i me' ofianyiroyafltylthereon.

JSo'cket section The. s-ocketa section "I U'i'CODSlSIZS? t: antheshaped1"rubberinsulation:member' I I" with two L shapd fIhls-einwentionr'riates to electrical-iequipment, 5 electrddes #16.-embedded :in'1"it,1'an-d la rectangular tancl more particularly; tocacoupling terminalunit eforz'storageibatteries.

311318 231). objectofzthe present invention to'pro- Widetatnewxand:improvedreoupling terminal unit heiiidisadvantages Sand limitationscofrjcoupling i' terminal'zturiits;'::previoflslyodeveloped in" "the:prior art.

i-Amadditional:objectrofthis invention is 'to-pro- Widertiforestorageibatteries Ithat.'can benset flatandrelattivelyz'inconspicuous-ly, a'gainstmthe side of the cbomholdingtheistoragezbattery.

sa mther object 01*:therpresent' invention is to izprovidea an'newl'sandimprovedcoupling-terminal 20 cunitffonzstorage :batteries "thatwillreliminate the necessity of'adisconnecting thewleads: specificallyon the storage battery, wheni connec'tionzanddisconnection? to: thestorage :battery: toan outside tnetwork s or. fort charging; isrequired.

:tEora better-understanding of the presentzinvenrzthereofrreference ishad to: therfollowing descrips-tion taken :in" connection "with: theaccompanying eappendedrclaims.

zrReferringrto the drawing:

EigureL-fis: a rear view ofl arcouplin'g terminal nit-aforstoragewbatteries;embodying *this-inventbei-ng completely closed;

' Figure l -2 is -:-a perspective view-10f --thetdevice.mshown-in-Figtl, with the socket; andtplug sections aseparated;

h ollow. housing- 22 iofametal arranged *toven'close the member 1overallifexcept the'rsides't: arbitrarily designatedaw rear andibottom.

" The' insulatin'g'member' I I proj e'cts out laterally onstoragabatteriesithattwillavoidone'ormorerof lflszatbright-an'gles attherearto form -a terminal rnemand;improv di couplineflterm l unit surfaceofthe'mei'nber II" fromwirhitlfit projects.

The width of the lolock 'is equal 'to enlarger than the thickness of thewall of K abattery box 3, to "which the socket sec'tion Ill-is to'beiigidly "attached.

The electrodes I6 are embedde'din' 'the member and arealso ,Lhapedtooonform with the contour of the member II. An integralterminallegI flforming" one end portion of each electrode" I6 r extends laterallybeyond" the terminal "block "I 2 and is screw-threaded to:adjustably'hoId' a'nut which is employed to secures; copperbattery 'con-,necting" strap? 2 I thereto. The; opposite "end" of eachelectrddeiormsa leg "I 9 andhas 'a socket 21 therein. .It follows"thefgeneralf'contour of the member I I; and is atright angles totheterminal leg I8. It terminates :adjacent. to the bottom face oftthemember I lewith its sooketaccessible to the zprongs! ILto belinsertedtherein.

-=Eaeh-leg= I9 has its socketdl arrangedtot reion; the socket and plugsections oftheunitndt 35. ceiveuits respective nzu t referred ,t

*later. 1The member I Isisralsoiundercut-allaround ---to: provide*aeledge I I;- ast-shownin thedrawings.

A bolt =3 I with countersunk head passes through themember' I I torigidly secure it in-a metallhous- :eEigure-s3 151:3, longitudinal:seetional viewson -a or casing :22 "in A,vmchqit is inserted and:

@smaller-scalethroughthe plug section of.- the :elecmrieal coupling unitalongttheline -3-3 of Fig.- 2 land a-=EJgure-4 ista' composite View ofthe electrical couplingunit aconnectediwith an-enclosing boxandstonagabattery to betserviced. The view :istaken wwith-cportionsbroken,away, to indicatethe mani ner ,of 1' connecting 'i'the unit to [thebattery and amounting itlon its, boxer container.

tel-Similar referencecharacteristics referto simineC-td, These flanges:zmare'in'tgeneral iilar, partslcthroughoututhe,drawing.

nllni-thisiparticfllan illustration of the. invention,

litherenare'ttwoimainparts, termed the socket sec-;tionrespectivelylaridy thejplug section; both being alignment withthe"'terminal block l2, softhat when the latter is pushed" through arectangular lho1e'J24in' theflbox II3, theiface.'l5,, 6f, the membertwillicomei flat against the'box fl 3. .The supporting adaptdiforxremov'able zatta'chment'itopea'ch other. 5 screws 32 inthese"fiangesvwilli.be ontieither'sifief it, in the box wall. Thesescrews 32 securethe socket section to the battery box, as indicated.

The housing 22 is so placed on the member that narrow spaces 23 areprovided between its sides and the front and side walls of the housing22 under the ledges IT. The front of the housing 22 is provided with analigning corrugation which registers with a groove (not shown) in themember Hi. It is also screw-threaded to hold the bolt 3|, which securesthe member H rigidly in it. The housing 22 serves to enclose and protectthe insulating member I I, and frictionally hold a plug section 39 toit.

Plu-g section The plug section 39 differs from the socket section ID inthat it plugs into the socket section. For this purpose it has prongs 20extending from the upper ends of two straight electrodes 34 embedded ina straight rectangular insulation member 33.,

This member 33 is preferably made in two parts to facilitate theinsertion and pin securing of these electrodes 34, and then cementedtogether. It has a corrugation groove 35 at the middle for the wholelength of its front, and a screw threaded hole provided for the bolt 38fastening, a metal housing 29 over it. The prongs 20 are splitlengthwise and formed to slip readily into the sockets 21.

The lower portion of each electrode 34 is counterbored to provide a lughole 31 for the soldering-in of its respective conductor 36. Eachelectrode 34 terminates in a recess 4| and is spaced back from thebottom face of the member 33, so as to avoid its being exposed toexternal contact. The recess ll is sufficient in size to enclose aportion of the rubber insulation of the conductor.

The metal housing 29 walls in the member 33 on its four sides, the upperend being left open to expose the prongs 2B and position the member 33so its upper face will be spaced back, as shown in Fig. 3. The lowerportion of the housing 29 is open but restricted by the formation of atwoflanged clamp 39 designed to clamp on to the conductor cable,containing the conductors 36 and hold it as its bolts 42 are screwedtightly on. An aligning corrugation 28 is provided in the front wall ofthe housing so as to register with thecorrugation (not shown) on thesocket housing 22. The groove 35 is provided in the member 33 for thecorrugation 23 to fit into. during assembly.

Method of use The socket section [9 is fastened by screws through theflanges 26 to the outside surface of the battery box 13, with the block12, projecting through and fitting the hole 24, and coming out at theopposite face of the box, where its terminal legs I8 can be connected tothe battery binding posts, through the use of the connecting straps 2 l.

The process of inserting the lower plug section 39 into the upper socketsection [0, will make the details of their structure more apparent. Themetal housing 29 of the plug section 39 is pushed into the metal housing22 of the socket section l 0, until the prongs 20 are inserted fullyinto the sockets 2! in the legs l9. At the same time, the walls ofhousing 29 enter the spaces 23 between the walls of housing 22 untiltheir upper edges or rims abut the ledges l1 and stop. The frictionalcontact between the walls of both section Ill and 29 as well as that ofthe prongs 20 in the sockets 21 holds the sections, securely together.The plug section 39 however may be withdrawn downwardly at any time forremoval by exerting a little force, while the socket section III isfastened to the box, and stays there.

The general use of the unit, when coupled together and with a storagebattery on an automobile, is for charging the latter from an extraneouselectric service. However, the cable on the plug section can run to theelectrical parts of the automobile and serve same. The plug section forthe automobile can thus be detached quickly and conveniently at anytime, and be replaced with a similar plug section cable connected with acharger. The vertical arrangement of pluggingin on the side of the box113 keeps it close thereto and out of the way. The depressed portions onthe casings assures proper alignment and prevent the connections frombeing of the wrong polarity, with the possibility of causing incidentaldamage due thereto. The permanent attachment of the leads 2| to theterminals of the battery l4 saves considerable time, and labor of aninconvenient kind. Th connecting and disconnecting of storage batterieson a vehicle is always an objectionable performance, but is avoided inthis invention. The unit couples together substantially, by reason ofthe resilient and frictional hold obtained by the pressure of the shellof the casings on one another where they contact each other. Also addedto which are the depressed or corrugated portions, and that of the splitor spreaded prongs 20 in the socket IS. The clamp 39 keeps the cableheld securely. and prevents vibration from loosening the conductors 36in the lugs 31. The enclosing structure of the casings keeps theconducting parts clean and protects them from being injured or causinginjury.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be apreferred embodiment of this invention, it will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be madetherein without departing from the invention or th principles thereof.It is therefore aimed in the appended claims to cover all such changesand modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. A coupling terminal unit for electrically connecting a storagebattery in a container to an outside network comprising in combination,a socket section including a rectangular walled housing, an insulatingmember fastened in the housing having an integral terminal blockextending beyond the housing substantially at right angles thereto andbeyond the housing, and electrodes in the member conforming with thecontour thereof, each electrode having a terminal leg with a connectionextending through and from the block and arranged for connection to saidbattery and having a socket leg integral therewith terminating in aportion of the member within the housing at right angles to saidterminal leg, a removable plug section arranged for coordinativecoupling with the socket section, said plug section including arectangular walled housing open at one end and partly closed at theopposite end, an insulating member within said last mentioned housingand terminating with its end surfaces spaced from said open and partlyclosed ends of the housing, straight electrodes secured within saidmember with individual prongs projecting from one end of said memberencompassed but not touched by the walls of the I open portion of saidhousing so as to be exposed therein, the encompassing alls of said plughousing being of slightly less size than the walls of the socket sectionso as to slidably fit therein, the end portions of said straightelectrodes opposite to those of the prongs being lug-like to permit thesert on a con e of conductors therein.

and clamps on the housing for holding said conductors rigidly therein,said socket section being rigidly attachable to said container with itsterminal block and electrodes extending through the wall thereof so asto be adjacent to the binding posts of said battery for connectionthereto.

2. A coupling terminal unit for electrically connecting a storagebattery in a containing box to a network external thereto comprising incombination, a socket section including a hollow rectangular walledhousing, an insulating member fitted and fastened in the housing havinga laterally extending terminal block attached thereto and extendingthrough an opening in and beyond the housing substantially at rightangles thereto in L-shaped form, and L-shaped electrodes embedded in themembers conforming with the contour thereof and having terminal legs andsocket legs arranged thereon, said terminal legs extending through andfrom the block and said socket legs being in the member and terminatingadjacent a face of the member and Within the housing, a plug sectionarranged for coordinative coupling with said socket section, said plugsection including a hollow rectangular Walled housing open at one endand partly closed at the opposite end, a straight rectangular insulatingmember disposed within the walls and shorter than said last mentionedhousing and terminating with its end surfaces spaced from said ends ofthe housing, straight electrodes held within said member with splitparallel prongs projecting from one end of said member centrallyencompassed and spaced away from the walls of said open portion of saidhousing, this encompassing portion of said plug housing being of a formto joinably attach to said walls of the socket section so as to slidablyfit thereon, portions of the second mentioned electrodes at the endopposite to the prongs having lug-like recesses therein to permit theinsertion and connection of conductors therein and part of theinsulation thereon, clamps on the housing :for holding the conductorsrigidly therein and in said straight member, said terminal block beingarranged to pass through an opening in the wall of said box adjacent tosaid battery therein to bring said terminal legs in proximate relationto the binding posts of the battery for connection therewith, and meansfor coupling the terminal legs with said binding posts.

FRANK JACOBS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

